In Sports

Top Stories

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf is demanding a formal apology from TSN as well as a "significant amount of damages" after the all-sports network aired an inflammatory fan tweet about Phaneuf'...

In Technology

Top Stories

OTTAWA - A digital petition once famously forced the White House to provide official comment on an oddball suggestion for stimulating the U.S. economy: building a heavily armed intergalactic space station...

In Homes

Top Stories

Spring is a favourite transitional time for lovers of home decor. Shaking out the rugs and washing the windows after a long winter feels satisfying, and then there's the prospect of perhaps replacing ...

Binge drinking one reason for end of decades-old party

Binge drinking, sexual activity and impaired driving were among the reasons cited for the Edwards School of Business and U of S administration withdrawing support for a long-standing student-organized social event known as LB5Q. (Photo courtesy of Edwards Business Student Society)

Business students at the University of Saskatchewan are wondering where they are going to get the money for their next year of social events after the school withdrew support for their primary fundraiser, leading to its cancellation.

LB5Q (which stands for "Little Buddy Big Buddy Barbeque") has been put on annually in the fall by the Edwards Business Student Society (EBSS) since the 1980s. Last year’s event — the biggest ever — drew 4,200 attendees, and featured DJs, a huge outdoor dance floor and a large beer garden.

Money raised by the party funded EBSS’ graduation banquet, annual formal, and several smaller student societies.

In March, the Edwards School of Business informed the EBSS that they and the U of S were withdrawing support for the event, citing concerns about drinking, sexual activity and impaired driving. After months of trying to negotiate, the EBSS announced Friday that LB5Q is cancelled.

“It’s frustrating. We put a lot of effort into making this the best event we can. It’s something we look forward to,” said Matt Lachica, vice-president of social for EBSS.

LB5Q started decades ago as a small barbecue, but in recent years it has grown into a massive party. EBSS held the event at an unannounced location, with students taken by bus from the U of S, which Lachica said was partially to prevent people from driving drunk.

Without school support, EBSS would have been unable to run the buses to and from campus. They tried to put together a system with multiple pickup points around Saskatoon, but were unable to get insurance without the school’s blessing, leading to the cancellation.

The students' society was informed of the school’s decision in a March 18 email from Noreen Mahoney, associate dean of students & degree programs for the Edwards School of Business.

“Our Senior Leadership team at the Edwards School has been in discussions over the last several months regarding the perceptions around alcohol and university life. We have become increasingly concerned over reports of binge drinking amongst college age students and the risks that are associated with this activity,” the email states.

When reached by phone on Saturday, Mahoney declined to comment, stating that Daphne Taras, the school’s head dean, would be better to talk to. Taras could not be reached for comment.

Lachica said he understands the school’s position, but feels the students' society has shown it is able to run the event safely, citing years without serious incident.

“We’re not trying to run a fly-by-night event. We hire security. We get all the permits. We’re doing everything by the book,” he said.

He also theorized that the cancellation could lead to a different, less-safe alternative.

“If LB5Q doesn’t happen, then something is going to fill that void. If another event comes in and tries to take LB5Q’s place, and they don’t have that experience, then it could turn out to be a bigger risk, in my opinion,” he said.

Now the students' society is left with the task of finding other ways to raise the tens of thousands of dollars LB5Q brought in.

Spotlights

Binge drinking, sexual activity and impaired driving were among the reasons cited for the Edwards School of Business and U of S administration withdrawing support for a long-standing student-organized social event known as LB5Q. (Photo courtesy of Edwards Business Student Society)

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.